Ode to Hitchcock
by Damonficgirl
Summary: Vincent hears a scream from Cat's shower... Set after Bridesmaided Up but before the more recent episodes.


**Ode to Hitchcock**

_A/N: The title is just a little word play, it sounded better than "The One With the Shower Scene," Norman Bates will not be making an appearance. If you've never seen Psycho this little A/N is probably just confusing you. Oops. Now on with the Vin/Cat fluff. _

_(Oh yeah and I don't have any rights to Beauty and the Beast, Vincent or Catherine or anyone else, these are just the rabid ravings of a fan). _

_Setting/Timeline: set a little bit after Cat's Dad's wedding but before the Alex story arc. _

It had been a long shift and when Catherine Chandler arrived home she wanted nothing more than to have a relaxing hot shower.

Vincent had picked up the pattern of Catherine's daily routines and knew to expect her home sooner or later. A little surveillance work had revealed that Heather wasn't home and he was looking forward to the opportunity to talk to Cat without being interrupted. Sneaking around could be exciting but it got old pretty fast when you had to do it all the time. And when Heather was home he didn't usually get as much time with Cat, so while he wanted her to hold onto her life and her friends and family he was a little jealous that it meant less time together.

When he heard the shower turn on he smirked to himself at the not so brief mental picture that knowledge created and settled down to wait for her. He made a point of not wondering around the apartment without her because it would have felt like he was intruding and he wanted to be as gentlemanly as was possible given that he did climb through her bedroom window on a regular basis with in normal circumstances would have been pretty creepy.

Vincent was startled by Cat's scream, he sprung in through her window, flung her bedroom door open and made his way to what he assumed was the bathroom door quickly, scanning for Muirfield agents. He bust open the bathroom door and Cat screamed again further worrying Vincent. "Cat?" He called over the water but she'd shut it off. "I heard a scream," he added as the cringing realisation that they were alone settled over him and he breathed deeply and slowly to ensure he didn't change. His eyes had gained their yellow glint with the initial adrenaline rush but he hadn't changed far enough that it was especially hard to regain his humanity. It helped that he was standing awkwardly in the middle of her steamy bathroom uninvited.

"I'm fine," Cat reassured him. "Just ran out of hot water," she explained cringing. She folded her arms across her chest instinctively but the cream coloured shower curtain that hung between then felt very thin.

"Sorry sorry," Vincent repeated awkwardly. "I um thought Muirfield– but you're fine…. so I'll just wait outside." He explained. He had turned his back on Cat and moved sideways out of the bathroom nearly tripping over his own normally-more-coordinated feet.

"Okay," Cat returned cringing. She turned the water back up just long enough to finish washing off and then grabbed a towel. She'd left her clothes in her room because she hadn't expected company so all she could was wrap it around her and home that Vincent wasn't standing right outside the door. It would be juvenile to make a hurried dash for it and Cat had more class than that so head held height she padded barefoot towards her bedroom. When she realised Vincent was probably waiting inside she considered deviating to her sister's room and borrowing something off Heather but that would be too hard to explain later, and they were after all, both adults. It wasn't like she was naked – everything important was covered. Still she felt exposed.

Vincent was staring at the floor when she walked in, lost in his own thoughts, ashamed by what had happened and also more than a little distracted by the thoughts the experience had provoked in him.

"Hey, sorry left my clothes in here," Catherine explained.

"Oh sorry again, maybe I should go?" Vincent was uncomfortable and wasn't sure if she should look at her but he figured looking her straight in the face and pretending she wasn't half naked was the more mature option. Still he felt embarrassed and leaving and trying again another night might be the best option.

"Don't go, just give me 2 second I promise, I'd say and go and help yourself to some coffee but Heather could be home any minute. I'll just grab what I need and get changed in her room. You just stay here. 2 seconds I promise." She really didn't want him to leave.

Vincent nodded, relieved that she seemed to want to see him as much as he wanted to see her.

Cat collected her pyjama top and shorts quickly and carefully, one hand always on the towel, and tried to remember not to bend too far over as she reached for them. She was wishing she'd laid them out before jumping in the shower but she'd been tired and she had thought she was alone, though as usual, she'd been hoping Vincent would make an appearance they hadn't had plans per se. She hoped he didn't think she was flirting or tarty when she opened her underwear draw one handed and grabbed a bra and some knickers but getting dressed without them seemed more unladylike. She badly wanted to do this discreetly to avoid having them on display but she had to prioritise keeping one hand on the towel. By the time Cat backed out of the room, promising again that she would only be a second, Cat had used up more adrenaline than in an hour at the gym. Vincent for his part had tried very hard to seem relaxed but it was an impossible task when she caught sight of her undergarments and his eyebrows shot up in a reflect reaction. He was probably blushing too he thought to himself, it wasn't like he had spent a lot of time around women in the past six years.

"So, how about that coffee?" Cat asked when she re-entered the room. Her damp hair was caught up in a ponytail and she was somewhat regretting the decision to wear pyjamas in front of Vincent but it was night time and she had said she was getting dressed for bed. At least the singlet was a solid blue and hid the black bra she'd put on underneath, though it was hard to ignore that he knew all too well that she was wearing it.

"I'm fine thanks, I think I'm going to have enough trouble getting to sleep," Vincent returned smiling.

"Yeah I probably shouldn't either, I could make hot chocolate."

"Only if you want, I'm fine."

"Maybe later. So, how's JT?" Catherine cringed at little at her awkward conversation starter.

"Same old JT, but the new improved slightly less frustrated model."

"Less frustrated?" Catherine questioned, not sure what he meant, it wasn't like anything had changed with Vincent's condition or Muirfield.

"I think seeing Sarah has had an effect on him," Vincent explained.

"Oh you mean…" Cat trailed off.

"Oh not just that, I mean it's good for him, having someone in his life again. He's given up too much for me."

"He's a pretty incredible friend, but you're worth it."

"Really? Sometimes I wonder."

"You just tried to save me without any regard for your own safety; you're a good person Vincent."

"But before you met me you didn't have to worry about being attacked in the shower."

"Hey New York's a pretty dangerous city, trust me there were plenty of things to be afraid of before I met you."

"But you never seemed scared," Vincent noted admiringly. He liked how tough she was.

"I guess that's why I became a cop; I didn't want to be afraid of all the bad things that might happen. I didn't want to be the victim."

"And now?"

"Honestly, I know I _should_ be afraid, but I worry more about you than about what could happen to me."

"You shouldn't," Vincent warned.

"I can't change how I feel, and I thought we were past the point where you try and talk me out of this? Let's talk about something else, anyway, what happened today?"

"I think you were there for the most exciting part," Vincent teased. "It was okay. I didn't run into any trouble on my way over here. Which I should be happy about, but I kind of get bored when I don't get a chance to help anyone," he admitted.

"Sounds like work, when its slow I feel bad if I start hoping we get a new case, because obviously I don't want there to be bad things happening in the city, but if they're happening anyway I'd like to be the one doing something about it. But that's me; you shouldn't be putting yourself in danger or risking exposure."

"I need to feel useful Catherine. Since Evan discovered my DNA I feel like I feel even more useless than before. I won't ever stand by and let someone die in front of me because I'm worried about myself, I couldn't live with myself."

Catherine wanted to protest, to beg him to look after himself, because his life was worth more to her, it was selfish but it was true, but she also understood that he needed to feel he still had value. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to walk around knowing you could be working in an ER saving lives and not be able to use your skills. If she couldn't be a cop she didn't know what she would do with herself, other than try and find another way, another purpose.

"What about research?" Catherine suggested. "I don't just mean your cure, though that could probably help other people not just you, isn't that how it goes with scientific discoveries?"

"Sometimes," Vincent admitted. "But I was more of the hands on type. JT's the book guy. I'd rather treat the case that's right in front of me. Still you're right, I don't have much in the way of equipment and it's not like I'm ever going to get a research grant but I should try to do something with my time other than walking around the city all night and playing Xbox at home."

"You know I wasn't criticizing you."

"I know," Vincent smiled. "It's nice, the way you take an interest. The way you treat me like a real person."

Catherine smiled and prodded Vincent's bicep with her finger. "Feels pretty real to me," she teased.

"You know what I mean," he growled playfully. She loved the way his voice did that, rolling and rounding out the vowels like a cat purring.

Vincent paused, attention elsewhere, then reported sadly, "Heather's home."

"I'd better go then. Guess I should be relieved you didn't break the bathroom door huh?"

"Did I mention how sorry I am about that?" he was still a little embarrassed.

"It's fine, no harm done."

"I did mention I might have trouble sleeping tonight."

"Yeah I won't be watching _Psycho_ anytime soon," Catherine admitted.

"That wasn't what I meant," Vincent returned flirtatiously, but before Cat could respond he was climbing out her window.

"Sweet dreams," she called softly out the window before shutting it behind him, she liked to leave it open a crack because it made him feel closer but somehow the room seemed cold now he was gone.

FINISH


End file.
